Preparing for a Giant

With the arrival of the C-5 Galaxy aircraft at Shepherd Field, the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport takes a “giant” step forward in runway accommodations.

The 167th Airlift Wing of the Air National Guard (ANG) has called West Virginia “almost heaven” since 1946. Although its name, mission, size, and command have changed, the 167th has been a valued tenant of the Eastern West Virginia Regional Airport—commonly known as Shepherd Field—ever since, bringing jobs to the Martinsburg community and fulfilling its mission to “guard America’s skies.”

The 167th has grown to meet the challenges of Operation Desert Shield in Iraq and Operation Provide Promise in Bosnia in the 1990s, to provide relief efforts for many natural disasters, and to continue to defend the nation in today’s “post 9/11” political climate.

Since 1995, the 167th has been flying the C-130 Hercules. In the near future, the 167th will transition to flying the gigantic C-5 Galaxy cargo aircraft, one of the largest aircraft in the world. To accommodate it, the runway at Shepherd Field is expanding again—but this time, construction will be much more complex.

Longer and Flatter

Upgrading and extending Runway 8/26 at Shepherd Field for the ANG’s C-5s has some important advantages for the United States and for the people and businesses of eastern West Virginia. Lengthening the runway will open the airport to a whole new class of aircraft.

The ANG will be extending the runway 1,000 feet on the eastern end and 800 feet on the western end, and flattening the runway will bring it into compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and U.S. Air Force requirements for minimum longitudinal grades. Right now, the elevations at both ends of the runway are lower than the elevation at the center, creating a “hump” in the middle.

Pilots landing their aircraft feel like they’re landing “uphill” because of the runway slope. The new flatter runway will be safer and easier to fly in and out of.

Tricky Construction Phasing

The ANG is not Shepherd Field’s only tenant or user. Although the military accounts for approximately half of all aircraft operations, the airport supports thriving local and general aviation usage. A phased approach to construction will keep a minimum of 4,000 feet of runway open at all times during reconstruction and removal of the "hump."

The construction phasing capitalizes on an eight-month window of opportunity in which the 167th transitions from the C-130 aircraft to the C-5. States PBS&J Project Manager David Schilling, PE, "During those eight months, Runway 8/26 will first be lengthened on the eastern end, followed by the 'hump' removal about midway along the runway. The general aviation aircraft will still be able to use portions of the runway that are outside of these construction areas." The flattened segment, now 6,000 feet long, will be paved and opened for traffic just in time for the 167th's first C-5 to land.

While maintenance and operations crews take a few months to get familiar with their new aircraft, construction work will proceed on the eastern half of the runway. Aircraft takeoffs and landings will be limited to the western end of the runway, outside of the construction area.

Safety precautions have been incorporated throughout the design, including the use of displaced thresholds, temporary runway markings, and sufficient safety overrun areas. The runway is expected to be back to full, unrestricted use in July 2007—in time for arrival of the 167's remaining C-5s. A final phase involving grooving and permanent marking will be accomplished at night to allow the full use of the runway during daylight hours.

New Opportunities

Extension of the runway at Shepherd Field “will not only allow the C-5 to land safely, but will also provide a runway length capable of supporting a regional jet airlines in the area,” states Lt. Col. Bill Burkhart, C-5 Project Engineer.

And what’s good for national defense is also good for the community. According to Burkhart, conversion to the C-5 will increase the full-time manning at the facility from 325 to 511 persons and the economic impact is projected to increase from $34 million to $97 million a year. And “this does not include construction cost, which is another one-time cost of around $227 million,” he adds.